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A recent report from the Council on the Ageing NSW (COTA NSW) shows that 60 per cent of older adults in NSW are lonely, 25 per cent are experiencing extreme levels of loneliness, and 50 per cent are socially isolated.
The Voices of Solitude: Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Older Adults in NSW found that many older people across the state feel “undervalued.“
COTA NSW chief Gohar Yazdabadi called the evident social isolation among older people living in NSW a “crisis we cannot afford to overlook.“
“Our findings paint a devastating picture of the extent of loneliness and social isolation among those aged 50-plus in our community,“ Ms Yazdabadi.
“Loneliness has profound impacts on the lives of older adults, it prevents one in four adults from completing everyday tasks such as shopping and cooking, and one in five from seeking medical care.
“The feelings of being undervalued and without a support network are a terrible reflection of ageism and the way we value older people in our society, the impacts of which are keenly felt.”
COTA NSW's Voices of Solitude report is part of the organisation's submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee’s inquiry into the impacts of loneliness, announced in August.
Inquiry chair Sarah Kaine MLC said she is looking forward to involving both experts and the community during inquiry proceedings.
“The face of loneliness is often unexpected and touches many in our community. Almost everyone has felt alone at some point in their lives and I think it is important our political leaders are taking notice and taking action.”